The suspension will be in effect from 6 am on December 14 to 11.59 am on December 17, it said. A ‘jatha’ (group) of 101 farmers will begin a walk from their protest site at Shambhu border on the Punjab and Haryana border to Delhi on Saturday afternoon.
Farmers of Punjab at the Shambhu border amid ongoing protests by farmers to pressurize the central government to accept their demands including legal guarantee of MSP on harvest, in Patiala district, Friday, December 13, 2024. (PTI photo)
Farmers’ protest march resumes from Shambhu border to Delhi Hours before the start, the Haryana government suspended mobile internet and bulk SMS services in 12 villages of Ambala district on Saturday to maintain “public peace”. The suspension will remain in effect till December 17, according to an order issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Sumita Mishra.
“It has been brought to my notice by the Additional Director General of Police, CID, Haryana, and Deputy Commissioner, Ambala that given the call for march to Delhi given by some farmers’ organizations, there is apprehension of tension, anger, agitation, damage to public and private property and Ambala. disturbing public peace and tranquility in the area of the district,” the order said.
Mishra said that orders to stop mobile internet have been issued in Dangdehri, Lehgarh, Manakpur, Dadiana, Bari Ghel, Chhoti Ghel, Lharsa, Kalu Majra, Devi Nagar (Hira Nagar, Naresh Vihar), Sadopur, Sultanpur and Kakru villages in Ambala. No disturbance of peace and public order.
The suspension will be in effect from 6 am on December 14 to 11.59 am on December 17, it said. A ‘jatha’ (group) of 101 farmers will begin a walk from their protest site at Shambhu border on the Punjab and Haryana border to Delhi on Saturday afternoon.
Farmers are agitating to press the Center for a legal guarantee of minimum support price for crops. They are also pressuring the center to negotiate to solve their problems. Heavy security personnel have already been deployed on the Haryana side of the border.
Earlier, the Haryana government had suspended mobile internet services, bulk SMS, and dongle services from December 6 to 9. In the new order issued on Saturday, Mishra said, “There is a clear possibility of disruption of public facilities, damage to public property. Disturbance of amenities and public order in Ambala district due to misuse of internet services by spreading inflammatory content and false rumours, mobile internet services, SMS services, etc. Dongle services may be broadcast to the public via social networking/messaging services.
“To prevent the spread of false information and rumors through various social networks such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, mobile phones and SMS, facilitating and mobilizing mobs of agitators and protesters which may cause serious loss and damage to public life. And engaging in arson or vandalism and other forms of violent activities. Personal assets.
“Therefore, using the authority vested in me, I hereby order the suspension of all dongle services provided on the mobile network except mobile internet services, bulk SMS, voice calls,” the order said.
This order has been issued keeping in mind the convenience of the general public by giving discounts on personal SMS, mobile recharge, banking SMS, voice calls and internet services available through broadband and leased lines of corporate and domestic households without affecting commercial/financial interests. Basic domestic needs of the state and the individual, the order said.
The farmers have gathered under the banner of the United Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and have been camping at the Shambhu and Khannoori border crossings between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after security forces blocked their march towards Delhi.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published by PTI)
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